How to improve new client relationship?

August 21, 2008 3:00 AM

Getting to know you... I'm new to client service but have extensive client-side experience in the marketing field. Just joined an agency and the client complained to my boss that I'm 'too professional' in my demeanor. How do I fix this?

So more details. I joined a small agency which has a reputation for great innovative ideas, but also for their poor execution. I was brought in to clean up and implement process and some level of maturity into the shop.

We work with the client's AOR (we are an experiential agency) and the account people on that side are best-buds with the client, they go out drinking, buy him birthday presents and generally kiss butt. They aren't happy we have his business - but they can't seem to come up with the ideas or have the contacts that we do. They have made our lives tough; casting doubt on our creative abilities and pointing our errors at every turn with the goal of getting us fired.

Needless to say I've taken a bit of a defensive stance to help us defend our territory, but I can only assume that they haven't been complimentary about me to the client.

Sooo..my boss had coffee with the client the other day and he reported back that it was clear that the client had issues with me but said it was hard to nail down specifics with the client and the best he could get was that my attitude was overly professional and that perhaps and adjustment of tone is in order and that I need to make it work with the AOR. I called the client on my boss' suggestion to get further feedback but he has not returned my calls.

I assume the issue is that how I used to like to work with my agencies is not how this relationship is going to work. I like to keep my work and personal life separated. It's early days in this relationship and I know the client needs to be wined and dined but do I have to be his friend for this to work?

Ideas on how to move forward? How can I be 'less professional?' Any tips for going from being the client to serving a client?

Thanks for reading!

posted by urbanette to Work & Money (3 answers total)

Best answer: They have made our lives tough; casting doubt on our creative abilities and pointing our errors at every turn with the goal of getting us fired..

It sounds like this client doesn't like you, the agency, or the work that the agency does. And you come in, to elevate the professionalism, and suddenly this negative client, isn't getting his ass kissed anymore, as you try to bring 'professionalism' to the table. How do you expect him to react? I'm going with 'negatively. The client clearly needs someone to blame, as he's not getting his ass kissed anymore. Bonus: You're new, so he has someone to blame. He's passively agressively controlling the relationship by not calling back.

What I really want to tell you is to 'fire' the client. That it's time you stop doing business with someone who is behaving in such a manner. Since it's a small agency, they'll freak if you suggest this.

The client doesn't want you to be his friend - but rather his freshman kid slave who compliments him over his every thought. (And if he's not in charge at his workplace, he may unable to articulate anything beyond like 'you're professional' because he's accountable to his boss.)

When phone calls don't work, elevate your communications. Visit him. With your boss (under no circumstances by yourself..) Say you notice the tension in your dealings and ask him directly what you (the company) could do to keep his busines and make him happy. Be direct; suggest that perhaps he'd prefer that someone else deals with him, taking yourself out of the picture for direct interaction.

Personally, I expect him to have no real answer but resent you in the long term. This is a CYA move for your job, not for their business; I think you're going to lose their business no matter what.
posted by filmgeek at 4:36 AM on August 21, 2008

This book is focused a bit on tech client relationships, but I've found its suggestions really useful in dealing with my clients (also non-tech): Secrets of Consulting: A Guide to Giving and Getting Advice Successfully
posted by scottso17 at 6:54 AM on August 21, 2008 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Filmgeek -

Great summary of the issue. I had similar suspicions. However, I met his boss last night at one of our events and he seems very pleased and said that he is directing more business our way. (His boss is responsible for multiple brands and seems more down to earth). So I managed to corner my client who agreed to a meeting. I like your suggestion of bringing my boss along as well.


I will also be looking up that book! Thanks to you both!
posted by urbanette at 8:33 AM on August 22, 2008